My name is Peter Ludlow, and I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, specialising in autism spectrum and other neurodevelopmental conditions. I have been using scientific approaches to help people understand their experiences and processing patterns for more than twenty years. I help families who have diagnostic questions, who want more information on individuals’ psychological strengths and needs, or who want to use psychological models in developing strategies and plans for the future.

I help the Courts, by providing Expert Witness assessment and opinion on vulnerable people and their special needs. I also help organisations that provide autism spectrum-related services or training.

The About page details my clinical and forensic qualifications. I am a Chartered Psychologist, which means that I am publicly committed to the British Psychological Society’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. I am Registered with the Health Professions Council, which assumed Statutory Regulation of Practitioner Psychologists in 2009.

My approach to psychological assessment looks at people's strengths and difficulties, and helps to put current emotional or behavioural issues into the bigger picture of their life-long development. I use questionnaires, psychological tests, and interviews to gather information on behaviour, intellectual skills, sensory needs and attentional processes. While the psychological assessment process may involve consideration of labels such as “autism”, “Asperger syndrome”, “ADHD”, “dyslexia” and so on, the overall aim is always to use scientific psychological models to help people to understand their own experiences.

I use visual materials to help people understand complex information, and include some follow-up time in the assessment “package”, so that people have an opportunity to explore appropriate psychological models, and what these mean for the people concerned.

I provide clinical diagnostic assessments across the age and ability ranges. I am licensed by the National Autistic Society to use the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (the “DISCO”), and have assessed children as young as 3 years old, and adults aged up to 70 years. I have worked with people with severe learning disabilities (SLD), as well as people of average intelligence, and some with exceptionally high ability.

I also offer psychological assessment and follow-up services for people who already have one or more neurodevelopmental diagnoses. These assessments can look at a range of psychological functions, such as intellectual skills, academic attainments, independence (life) skills, and sensory issues. Follow-up may be offered on an individual, family, or group basis as
appropriate.

As well as providing private clinical services, I provide psychological assessments for the Courts through my expert witness work. I have given evidence in criminal proceedings, care proceedings, and at discretionary lifer panels. Enquiries are typically made by Solicitors who suspect that their client may have some undiagnosed or unmet psychological needs which may affect their ability to participate in the legal process. Specific assessment issues might include a client’s intellectual abilities, their mental health status, their understanding of legal proceedings, or whether evidence obtained during a Police interview is likely to be reliable. The quality of my work for the Courts, and my commitment to continuing professional development, have been recognised by Membership of the Expert Witness Institute.

I run my private clinic in Lincoln. I can also travel to other parts of the country to carry out clinical or legal assessments. Travel and any accommodation costs are estimated in advance and added to the standard assessment costs.